NUNAVUT WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT BOARD

MINUTES: CONFERENCE CALL No. 61

THURSDAY, 27 JUNE 2002

Agenda
Opening by Chairperson
Agenda for the Conference Call
Meeting Location - September
IPG's Request for Meeting
Sylvia Grinnell River Closure
NSA Exploratory Shrimp Fishery – Final Decision.
Bowhead Hunt Plan
Peary Caribou Quotas / Management Plan
Bluenose Caribou
Eider Down Quota
Polar Bear MOU Community Tour
Other Business
Meeting Adjourned
Resolutions

1. Opening by Chairperson

The Chairperson brought the Conference Call to order at 10:40 a.m. He thanked everyone for their participation.

2. Agenda for the Conference Call

The Board approved (Resolution 2002- 063) the Agenda for the Conference Call as presented with the removal of items 3, 9 and 14 and the addition of an item to approve an eider down quota and an item to approve funding for the polar bear MOU community tour.

3. Meeting Location - September

The Executive Director advised that while the Board had decided to hold the next meeting in Kugaaruk in September, this would likely not be possible due to a lack of sufficient accommodation. As the Board will be reviewing the Nunavut Wildlife Act and the Nunavut Fisheries Regulations, there will be a large number of extra people attending the meeting. The Board agreed to move the meeting to the alternate location of Cambridge Bay , for the same week of September 16, 2002 .

4. IPG's Request for Meeting

The Executive Director advised the Board that the other IPGs had indicated a desire to hold a joint meeting in October in Cambridge Bay and would like the NWMB to attend also. The Board directed the Executive Director to explore the possibility with the IPGs and consider the possibility of the meeting being held to follow on from the NWMB's meeting in September, and to bring the alternatives back to the Board for a decision at the next conference call.

5. Sylvia Grinnell River Closure

David Ell from Amarok HTO in Iqaluit explained to the Board that his HTO had passed a resolution to close the Sylvia Grinnell River to snagging for the whole river and to netting from an area below the falls up to Sylvia Grinnell Lake . In order for the closure to apply to non-HTO members and be enforceable by DFO, the HTO was asking the NWMB to support their decision. Board members commended the HTO for their conservation actions and passed a resolution in support of the closure. (Resolution 2002-064). The Board was also informed that the HTO wished to see no boats using the river, but that this issue was being dealt with through the coast guard.

6. NSA Exploratory Shrimp Fishery – Final Decision.

In April, 2002, the NWMB approved a new exploratory shrimp quota for the NSA in order to explore and develop the fishery. The Minister of DFO rejected the decision in early June, citing conservation concerns. Discussions with the Nunavut Fisheries Working Group and Barry Rashotte of DFO, Ottawa , indicated that the main concern had to do with Shrimp Fishing Area 3. Accordingly, the Board decided to pass two separate resolutions. First the Board approved (Resolution 2002-065) an exploratory quota of 2000 tonnes of Pandalus montagui for Shrimp Fishing Area 2, inside the NSA, with conditions. Second, the Board approved (Resolution 2002-066) an exploratory quota of 500 tonnes of Pandalus montagui for Shrimp Fishing Area 3, inside the NSA, with conditions.

7. Bowhead Hunt Plan

The Board was updated that plans are underway to try to hold the bowhead hunt near Igloolik later this summer. The communities of Hall Beach and Igloolik will host the hunt and they have been asked by the RWOs to have all their plans in place by July 15, 2002 . The communities have requested a contribution of $10,000 from NWMB to assist them with the planning meetings for the hunt. The Board approved the requested amount

(Resolution 2002-067) . The Board also agreed to ensure that all those involved in planning for the hunt are clear on the steps that need to be taken before the hunt can take place.

8. Peary Caribou Quotas / Management Plan

At the previous meeting of the NWMB, the Department of Sustainable Development had requested direction from the Board on how they wished to proceed in managing harvesting for the Peary Caribou herd, currently listed as endangered. The Board reviewed the matter and agreed that prior to deciding how to proceed, it was important to know the wishes of the communities involved. The Board will then be in a better position to assess the options. DSD will be asked to work with both Resolute Bay and Grise Fiord to determine their preferences and then come back to the Board.

9. Bluenose Caribou

In 2000, the NWMB approved the designation of the Bluenose East caribou herd as a separate herd. It had previously been thought that there was one very large Bluenose herd, now split into three. At that time, the Board indicated that they would like to see a separate management plan developed for the Bluenose East herd. The Sahtu Renewable Resources Board (SRRB) has written to the Board indicating that their Board would like to proceed in developing an inter-jurisdictional co-management plan for this herd. The Board agreed (Resolution 2002-068) a recommendation to agree to work on this plan, but indicating that the lead agency should be the Department of Sustainable Development. The recent research results and the draft plan that was developed for the overall Bluenose Herd will likely form a good basis for the development of a management plan.

10. Eider Down Quota

The CWS office in Iqaluit has forwarded a request from Sanikiluaq for a quota of 170 kg of Eider down to be collected in the Belcher Islands this summer. CWS is supporting the requested quota. The Board approved (Resolution 2002-069) the request with conditions.

11. Polar Bear MOU Community Tour

At the recent NWMB meeting in Rankin Inlet, the Board approved in principle the contribution of $65,000 towards the costs of a representative from NWMB and from an RWO to participate in the upcoming community tour associated with revising the polar bear MOUs. However, a final decision was not made until the availability of NWMB funds was verified. As funding is available, the Board approved (Resolution 2002-70) the contribution.

12. Other Business

The members agreed to hold the next conference call on July 16, 2002 at 10:30 am , Iqaluit time.

13. Meeting Adjourned

The meeting was adjourned at 12:30 pm . (Resolution 2002-071)

Minutes Approved by:__________________   ____________

                                                 Chairperson                   Date

RESOLUTIONS CONFERENCE CALL No 61

Resolution 2002- 063: Resolved that the NWMB accept the agenda for Conference Call No. 61 as presented, with deletion of the following items:

• Item 3 Auditor's report 2001/02
• Item 9 Possible DFO Minister's Visit
• Item 14 Trust Meeting – Auditor's report
  And the addition of the following items:

• Allocation of Sanikiluaq Eider down quota
• Funding request for polar bear MOU community tour.

Moved by Harry Flaherty     Seconded by Kevin McCormick

Carried         Date: 27 June 2002

Resolution 2002- 064 : Resolved that the NWMB approve the request from the Amarok HTO to:

• Ban the use of nets in the Sylvia Grinnell River from Sylvia Grinell Lake to the area below the falls, as indicated by the shaded area on the attached map;

• Ban the practice of snagging fish throughout the Sylvia Grinnell River ;

• Apply these restrictions year round;

• Continue these restrictions for a period of five years; and

• Request that DFO implement the necessary variation orders to implement this decision.

Moved by Robert Moshenko   Seconded by Harry Flaherty

Carried         Date: 27 June, 2002

Resolution 2002- 065: Resolved that That the NWMB establish an exploratory quota of 2000 tonnes for Pandalus montagui for 2002 in the NSA in SFA 2. This in addition to other existing quotas, with the following conditions:

• The maximum fishing effort will be 170 fishing days – harvesting will cease when the quota or the maximum fishing days is reached, whichever comes first;

• The maximum harvest, from this exploratory quota, in the vicinity of Resolution Island will be 500 tonnes;

• The BFC will work with the NFWG and DFO to develop a harvesting plan and this plan will be approved by the NWMB prior to the start of harvesting;

Moved by Robert Moshenko   Seconded by Kevin McCormick

One Abstention – Meeka Mike

Carried         Date: 27 June, 2002

Resolution 2002-066: Resolved that That the NWMB establish an exploratory quota of 500 tonnes for Pandalus montagui for 2002 in the NSA in SFA 3. This in addition to other existing quotas, with the following conditions:

• The maximum harvest, from this exploratory quota, in the vicinity of Resolution Island will be 250 tonnes;

• The BFC will work with the NFWG and DFO to develop a harvesting plan and this plan will be approved by the NWMB prior to the start of harvesting.

Moved by Kevin McCormick   Seconded by David Alagalak

Carried         Date: 27 June, 2002

Resolution 2002- 067: Resolved that the NWMB approve the request from the Hall Beach HTO for $10,000 to assist in the planning and preparation for the upcoming bowhead hunt.

Moved by Meeka Mike     Seconded by Harry Flaherty

Carried         Date: 27 June, 2002

Resolution 2002- 068: Resolved that the NWMB accept the recommendation of the NWMB's Director of Wildlife Management to respond to SRRB, with cc to NTI and DSD, that:

• The NWMB supports working towards a co-management plan for the Bluenose East caribou herd; and

• Outlining the NWMB's vision of how the plan would be developed, including the roles / responsibilities of DSD / DRWED and NWMB / SRRB and the communities and RWO (using the Bathurst Caribou Management Planning Committee as an example).

Moved by Harry Flaherty     Seconded by Kevin McCormick

Carried         Date: 27 June 2002

Resolution 2002- 069: Resolved that the NWMB approve an eider down quota of 170 kg from colonies around the Belcher Islands for the community of Sanikiluaq with the following conditions:

• The quota is for 2002 only;

• Careful records must be kept of collection locations and nests harvested;

• A final report must be provided to CWS by December, 2002; and

• The community's Eiderdown Harvesting Guidelines must be followed.

Moved by Meeka Mike     Seconded by Harry Flaherty

Carried         Date: 27 June, 2002

Resolution 2002- 070: Resolved that the NWMB contribute up to $65,000 towards the costs of participation of an NWMB representative and an RWO representative in the polar bear MOU community tour later this year.

  Moved by Kevin McCormick   Seconded by Robert Moshenko

  One Abstention – Harry Flaherty

  Carried         Date: 27 June, 2002

Resolution 2002-071: Resolved that the 61 st Conference Call of the NWMB be adjourned.

  Moved by David Alagalak     Seconded by Harry Flaherty

  Carried         Date: 27 June, 2002

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